


Romps, Prompts, and Whomps

by Roaming_Numerals



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Drabbles, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Monsters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:08:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27197623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roaming_Numerals/pseuds/Roaming_Numerals
Summary: Just a collection of one-shots, prompts, and drabbles about the boys.
Relationships: Four & Hyrule & Legend & Sky & Time & Twilight & Warriors & Wild & Wind (Linked Universe)
Comments: 60
Kudos: 130





	1. Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So because I can't stick to a schedule (Mad respect to writers like OctolingO and Razzberrie who have been keeping up with prompts, go check them out) but I also must write, for now I'm just gonna post prompts from Linktober here whilst also adding any other short (yeah right) ideas I needed to put on paper. Still working on outlines for longer works right now...
> 
> Tags and warnings will be added as we go on. Enjoy!
> 
> This first chapter is a shout-out to all my octorocks out there who make my life a living h***. Thanks.

Their arrival to the new Hyrule was, as usual, abrupt. Luckily, despite the unexpected change in scenery, everyone managed to keep their footing, though the amount of cursing it required varied for each hero.

“This is getting ridiculous! We’re just trading one nondescript forest for another equally as vague patch of woods.” Legend griped, straightening his cap. “How do we even know if this isn’t just the same place save for a couple meters away from where we were earlier?”

Wind held up a hand to silence him, eyes closed and nose in the air. He looked much too serious for someone doing an impression of a Hylian Retriever, but no one commented, too confused to speak up.

“No, wait.” He whispered. He took a deep whiff of air, his chest expanding with the effort. Exhaling, he grinned and opened his eyes, revealing two very gremlin-like irises that did not ease any of the confusion. “This place is different. I smell treasure.”

Warriors took Wind by the shoulders, an amused grin on his face. “Ok, _Wolfie_ , maybe that landing hit you harder than you thought—”

Wind slapped his hand backwards to cover Warriors’ mouth but thanks to his short height, only managed to succeed in thwacking him in the chin. The shock, however, did the job just as well.

“Shush, you. There’s treasure nearby and I know it. My Pirate Nose never lies.”

That was all it took for the majority of the group to become engrossed in discussion about what constituted a ‘pirate nose’ and whether or not Hylia would even bother to grace them with something as incredible as good luck.

Meanwhile, Wild fumbled with his Sheikah slate, and began plotting a course with Time. Apparently, they had landed not a mere distance from their last location, but at Wild’s Hyrule. And, more importantly, inside a forest full of all sorts of fruits and other edible plants that would make great additions to their diminishing food store. They would have to watch out for sleeping Hinoxes, however, according to Wild. 

* * *

Their path through the forest was made clear by a small but obvious dirt road that wandered around various trees and rocks, carrying them past mushrooms, apples, radishes, and the like. After showing pictures of each plant to his companions, each Link kept an eye out for their respective food, taking their turns wandering off the path in order to fetch it once spotted. Combined with the sunlight that dappled the ground, the sound of birdsong in the eaves, and the peaceful surroundings, the overall atmosphere was quite pleasant.

“We’ll also have to keep an eye out for Octorocks.” Wild added.

“What are those?” Time inquired. He and Wild had opted to stay on the path in order to provide combat assistance should a monster arrive (Time) and to serve as a neutral point for the others to store their spoils in his slate (Wild). There’d been no trouble thus far, and the two heroes spent their time watching the others perk up and scurry away after spotting their assigned vegetation.

“Picture this,” Wild started. “You’re walking along in a nice peaceful forest minding your own business when suddenly—someone decides to launch a rock at your head for no reason whatsoever. You can’t see where it came from at first so you start to run, hoping to dodge its next attack, but no! Now there are two—no three—five! Boulders flying at you from every direction no matter which way you turn they’ll hit you, they always—”

By now Wild had the front of Time’s collar fisted in both hands and he was staring up at the older man’s eye with his own frantic blue orbs swirling in panic. Time cut off the frenzied rambling with a palm to the mouth, much like what Wind had attempted earlier, but unlike him, successfully.

“Easy there, Wild, I get it. Octorocks are bad news. Why don’t you tell me how to take care of them then, eh?”

Wild nodded slowly, his heart still pumping slightly too fast for his liking. He let go of Time and the two returned to walking side by side, Wild going into detail about the merits of a good shield during such encounters with the creatures. No one else had been close enough to hear or see what had just happened between them Whether that was for better or for worse was still unknown.

Further up the path, a small Hylian dressed in blue scampered up and along the path, his nose in the air and his eyes darting from one bush to the next, searching intently.

“Treasure, treasure, treasure…” he muttered over and over under his breath. He was meant to be looking for any Hearty Radishes growing nearby, but he couldn’t ignore his Pirate Nose. They weren’t even in a dungeon or looting someplace. It was right here out in the open! How could an opportunity like this be overlooked for some vegetable? He didn’t even like radishes. But he did like treasure. A lot.

“Hey, bud, you ready to head back over to Wild?” Warriors called from a distance. Wind spared a glance to see the scarf-clad hero had a generous pile of apples cradled in his arms.

“Not yet! You go on ahead, I can still grab a few more!” Wind yelled in response. He plastered a fake grin of encouragement on in order to placate the other into leaving, and although Warriors seemed unsure, he shrugged (and immediately readjusted his hold on the apples as they threatenedto spill) and turned to go to find Wild and Time. Once his back was turned, Wind dropped the grin and went back to his hunt. Treasure. It was close. He was sure of it.

Looking around, all he could see was a mixture of greens, browns, greys, and random spots of colour offered by flowers and other assorted plants. But somewhere among this collage was a chest, a sack, a gem, _something_. He had to find it. He could already hear Tetra’s teasing in his mind. No. He just had to focus.

He squinted, scanning his surroundings once more, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing…nothing…nothing…wait. Was that? Yes! He’d thought it was a moss-covered rock, but now he could see it wasn’t a rock at all. Its edges were too smooth, its shape too defined. That, was a treasure chest. _Can’t fool a Pirate Nose_ , he smirked.

He made sure no one was watching before he sped away to the chest, stopping just a few feet from it, eyeing the ground for any traps that might’ve been left. Nope. Looked clean to him. He knew that if anyone else saw his smile right now they’d be very put off, but right now it was just him and his treasure.

Speaking of…He rubbed his hands together before reaching eagerly for the lock. The entire chest was covered in moss and lichen but it still had to be good. He wondered what he would find. Rupees? Gems? A cool new weapon? He touched the lock and the earth exploded.

Back on the path, the remaining Links stood in a group, waiting for their last companion to return from the forest. By this time, they had amassed a good amount of food and wanted to focus on making distance to the next town or stable. Wild and Hyrule tapped their feet in impatience, eager to get moving, and Warriors kept glancing back towards the forest in search of their missing sailor.

“Where is he?” he grumbled. He started to make his way back off the path, but only made it a few feet before Legend grabbed his shoulder to stop him.

“Relax, Captain, he probably just got distracted by his so-called ‘Pirate Nose.’ He’ll show up any moment, so don’t get your scarf in a twist.” The pink-haired hero rolled his eyes.

Warriors sighed, but remained where he was. He dropped his head in defeat. “Fine. But you should know, I would never let my scarf get into such a sta— _hrrk!_ ”

Legend suddenly yanked on the end of said scarf and pulled Warriors to the ground with him, the other man letting out slightly muffled but otherwise undignified squawk as he hit the dirt. A huge rock flew through the air where their heads had just been, and they could hear the air whistle as it raced by. Luckily, it just missed the others who were in the path and hit a nearby tree instead, smashing to pieces.

“What in the three…?” Legend mumbled as he rose off the ground. Warriors was still on his back, coughing as his throat protested the brief strangulation. But he was alive.

“Shields out!” Wild yelled. “Stay alert!”

The Links sans Warriors and Legend unlatched their shields and put their backs together, eyes on the lookout for any more projectiles. Legend got out his own shied and set Warriors’ in front of him as the Veteran prepared to shield them both while the Captain got his breath back.

No one had to wait for very long as faint but familiar screaming (and some very creative curses) grew louder and louder as it neared them. Then, from the bushes burst Wind, covered in dirt and waving his sword like he was about to fight Ganon himself. They had no time to ask questions, however, as right afterwards a large green octopus-like creature with a chest on its head shot into the clearing and began shooting more rocks at the heroes.

Shouts of “Kill it, kill it!” and “ _What_ is it?!” with a bit of “My treasure!” and a tad of “Why is it shooting at us?!” rang throughout the air as an epic battle was waged between nine heroes and an oversized balloon. An epic battle that lasted all but 30 seconds as one of the projectiles eventually hit Four’s shield (which also knocked the smaller lad down) and ricocheted back into the octorock with a sickening squelching noise, leading to the entire creature deflating on the spot.

The only thing left was a puddle of slowly expanding blackened blood, and the chest growing from its head, sat innocently on the remains of the monster. It remained quiet for a moment as the heroes listened to the last of the life leak out of the creature, but as soon as it was silent, they erupted into questions, exclamations, and the occasional curse.

Amidst the commotion, Wind walked up cautiously to the body, poking it a few times with his sword as if daring it to lurch up like it did earlier. Nothing. By now the others had calmed down enough to watch curiously. Wind placed his hands on the lock once more.

“Hey, Wind. I hate to break it to you, but—” Wind flailed a hand to shush Wild.

“Everyone shut up. I’m getting my treasure.”

Wind eased the lid of the chest open and peered inside. Then he closed it again. Then opened it. Close. Open. Close. Open.

“Where is it?” he muttered. Then, more frantically, “Where is it?! Where’s the treasure?!”

The remaining heroes gathered around the panicked boy and the empty chest to see the missing loot for themselves. The chest now sat open, its insides bare and teasing.

“Well I’ll be.” Time chuckled softly. “Are all your octorocks like this, Wild?”

Wild shook his head in confusion. “Actually I’ve only ever seen these types in the desert or up in the Hebra Mountains. And they’ve never shot rocks as quickly as that.”

“Could it have been another infected? I’ve never seen one of these octorock thingies before, but that can’t be natural.” Four spoke up, pointing to the small pool of darkened blood.

Wind muttered something under his breath. He hadn’t moved from his position next to the chest, but his hands were curled into fists and his jaw was set.

“What was that, Sailor?” Legend raised an eyebrow.

“I said, _who cares!_ ” Wind shouted. He turned his back on the chest. “Who cares where it came from or why it’s different? We know what it is—a monster! A lying, treasure-faking _monster_!” He stomped over to Wild and grabbed the front of his tunic to yank him down to meet his furious eyes. They were furious, yes, but they also shimmered a bit with the beginnings of unshed tears. “What kind of sick world is this, Wild? What kind of monster goes around pretending to have sweet sweet treasure? My trust has been broken—no, completely obliterated. Isn’t there any good left in the world?”

He let go of Wild and dropped to his hands and knees, head bowed in grief. “Why has Hylia forsaken me? Is it because of the beetles I put in Legend’s pack?”—“That was _you_?!”—“I said I was sorry!”

This went on for several minutes until Warriors, ever the older brother, guided Wind over to a nearby log to sit with him, draping his scarf over the younger hero. Eventually, after much comforting and reassurances that they would find more treasure later, Wind had recovered enough emotionally to continue their walk, and the heroes set off once again, leaving the false treasure and the monster behind.

“So about that Pirate Nose—" 

"Shut up." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit lighter than what I usually do, but I hope you all found it amusing. I realize this seems more like a 'treasure' prompt, but oh well, it is what it is. 
> 
> Also, I can't promise they'll all be as long as this, believe it or not, I was really trying to be short but I think that is physically impossible for me to write under 1k words so...we'll see.


	2. Princess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took the hc that Warriors used to body double for Artemis and the fact that I see Warriors as the most secure in his masculinity and made this. I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Thank you to Junnieevee for letting me bounce off ideas, and get some feedback, you're amazing! Xx As you might’ve guessed, there's one thing I might’ve neglected to mention about this chapter...
> 
> TW: brief description of loss of limb but there's no detail.

“Remind me again what the plan is.” Legend grumbled. He adjusted the borrowed breastplate that had been digging into his ribs for the third time that hour.

Sky sighed, as unhappy with their predicament as he was. “The parade only goes to the cathedral and back. General Impa said her informants heard about a plot to assassinate Warriors’ Zelda at some point during the route. All we have to do is make sure that doesn’t happen. While Twilight and Wild stay perched on the rooftops with their bows, the rest of us will act as his—er, her majesty’s personal guard throughout the parade.” The swordsman gripped his sword in trepidation.

“Yeah, yeah, I get all that.” Legend waved his hand. “But did we have to stick _him_ up there?”

He jerked his head slightly at the carriage the pair was walking beside. It was elaborately decorated in flowers and banners bearing the royal emblem, floating like an island among the guards that surrounded it and the townspeople on either side of the road. But it was who sat atop the carriage that Legend was referring to. Adorned in a flowing pink dress that lacked its usual armour and a gleaming crown, the figure smiled and waved at the crowd. As if sensing their eyes on them, they turned to catch their gazes and winked before beaming once again at the townspeople.

“Warriors said he used to do this all the time for Artemis. He knows what he’s doing.” Sky reassured. He smiled gently at the pink-haired hero. “I don’t feel good about this either, but if anything happens, that’s what we’re here for.”

Legend sighed. “I know, I know. I just hope Impa’s info was wrong.”

“Me too.”

It was getting hotter and hotter under all the new layers he’d been forced to wear. How Time and Warriors could wear this sort of every day was beyond him. Still, he tried to keep his eyes alert and on the lookout for suspicious activity. They were nearing the cathedral, and Legend couldn’t help but feel the air grow stiff with tension. Something was about to happen. But where?

He searched the crowd again. Among all the faceless citizens he could spot the others wading through the crowd. He saw children, mothers, fathers, but no assassins. Everywhere he looked there were bright colours and cheers. It was almost suffocating. Sweat dripped into his eyes and he quickly brushed it away, but right at that moment, a dark shadow slipped past his peripheral. He blinked and tried to focus his attention on it, but it had already disappeared back into the throng. His pulse quickened, and he turned to Sky to warn him, but the second he turned his face an explosion shook the earth and screams rang through the air.

He fought to stay upright even as the ground shook beneath him. A column of smoke billowed from the side of the nearby cathedral and Legend watched as Impa led those guarding the carriage to inspect the building, presumably to capture the bombers and avoid more explosions (after all, the real Zelda was out there as Sheik). However, even as he watched Sky race off with their fellow guards he stayed behind (and out of Impa’s sight. He did _not_ want to get on her bad side). The carriage picked up speed to hurry out of the danger zone and he had to quicken his pace to keep up.

He couldn’t help but feel off about this. Whether it was because this stupid plan meant Warriors was bait for potential killers or the ominous shadow he’d seen earlier, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. Theoretically, they had their bases covered. Twilight had his bird mask thingy—which he still wanted by the way—so he couldn’t miss (if it weren’t for the explosion), and Wild was a master of the bow (rooftops could be slippery though), and everyone else was in the crowd keeping an eye on potential threats (but you can’t watch everything).

And, sure enough, even as his eyes roamed the crowd and nearby buildings, a blur of yellow sped through the air to land in the carriage, hitting the three remaining guards and leaving Warriors alone. _Shit_. He surged forward, careless of who he had to push through to get to the carriage. He was nearly there, close enough to see that Warriors had drawn his—hers? Zelda’s—rapier because they weren’t complete idiots apparently. But what good was a sword against arrows?

Another yellow streak flew towards Warriors and Legend couldn’t help himself.

“Warriors!” he cried out in warning.

He may tease the Captain a lot, but he had to admit he was a skilled swordsman. Milliseconds before the projectile hit, there was a flash of Warriors’ sword and the arrow (is that what it was?) buried itself into the dirt in front of his feet. No, arrow wasn’t quite right. It was too small, more dart-like in shape and size. For a moment Legend allowed himself to believe that no damage was done. That is, until he saw the yellow peek out from the ground. It looked just like one of Wild’s shock arrows, its tip in the jagged shape of a lightning bolt. _Shit_.

He tore his eyes away from the weapon back to where he’d last seen his friend. Warriors was no longer standing—no one in the stopped caravan was. Except for one person. The shadow. But it wasn’t a shadow at all, it was a person in a long black cloak who happened to have a jagged knife raised, prepared to strike a certain _wig-wearing friend of his no doubt._

Nothing else existed as he sprinted the last few steps to the carriage. He forgot the uncomfortable rub of his borrowed armour, the sweat dripping off his face, and everyone else around him ceased to exist. He threw himself up the steps to the wagon, drawing his sword as he did so. He didn’t wait for the assassin to see him, he just swung his sword at the person who had dared hurt his brother.

His steel bit right through the offending hand and both the appendage and knife fell to the ground, but Legend completely blocked out the scream and felt no sympathy watching the man clutch at his bleeding stump. He raise his sword again, prepared to deal the last blow but a familiar voice stopped him.

“W-wait.” Warriors. He was saying something, but Legend didn’t dare take his eyes off the assassin yet. “W-w-we n-eed t-to q-q-quest-tion him.”

Goddesses, Warriors, priorities! He listened anyway, so instead of stabbing him, he turned his blade to smack him over the head with the pummel of his sword. The second Legend saw him hit the floor and he was sure he’d stay that way, he turned to inspect his friend.

Warriors looked relatively ok, as in there weren’t any serious wounds that Legend could see, but he was lying rather haphazardly on the seats of the carriage, and kept twitching uncontrollably. He also didn’t seem capable of moving on his own. This, Legend suspected was due one of the shock darts he’d seen him deflect earlier embedded in his arm, its electrified tip still buzzing with voltage (which could also explain his interrupted speech).

Warriors’ face was scrunched up in a grimace, occasionally twitching from side to side as the electricity coursed through his body. Yet he still managed to send Legend a grin of acknowledgment in between shocks. He opened his mouth to say something but Legend cut him off.

“Easy, Captain, just gimmee a second to get this damn thing out of you, but don’t worry you can thank me in no time.”

He inspected the dart. Its tip wasn’t buried too deep in the skin, and it looked like picking up the end wouldn’t shock him, so he tried to be as quick and precise as he could. With one hand he held the skin around the dart in place and pulled the tip out, only to fling it to ground as far away from Warriors as possible. As he did so, a small arch of electricity licked up to the metal gauntlets on his arm and he would deny it till the day he died, but he couldn’t help a small yelp escape his lips, and he rubbed his hand in annoyance.

Warriors, for his part, could only grunt in discomfort while it happened, but sighed in relief when it was out. The muscle spasms were still there, but had lessened in intensity, thankfully.

“T-hanks, Legend.” He smiled gratefully. “Now, w-would you mind helping m-me up?”

Legend nodded and did his best to ease Warriors into a more comfortable position. For some reason, he was slightly irked to see that despite all the commotion, Warriors looked almost exactly the same before the attack, albeit his hair (well, the wig he had _on hand_ for some reason) was slightly askew. Warriors must have felt his annoyance because he tried to turn his head, though he still struggled against the remaining electricity.

“What’s the m-matter Legend? J-jealous?” He batted his eyelashes at him.

Legend rolled his eyes. “Don’t even start, Pretty Boy. Or should I say, Pretty _Girl_?”

“Excuse m-me? I am a w- _woman_. A d-damn fine l-looking o-one too. Y-you _wish_ you c-could pull this off.”

“Yeah, sure. Just don’t forget who had to come up and save your royal ass.”

“M-my hero.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will take Warriors in feminine clothing to my grave. I like the idea that he grew up with a bunch of sisters so this is just life. Don't hate cause you can't relate. <3


	3. Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's a bit different to how I usually write so I hope it isn't too confusing. 
> 
> No warnings, but this one is a little bittersweet so be prepared I guess.

The block of wood sat quietly on the shelf, surrounded by books and miscellaneous objects that had found their way onto the small ledge. From its perch it waited, watching the days pass by until it was eventually scooped up into a leather pouch and stuffed alongside a tunic, some rations, and more miscellaneous trinkets.

It would be a few days before it saw anything else besides the walls of that bag.

* * *

Finally, there was light, albeit a fading one. Sunset was well on its way, but the wood’s day had only just begun! Calloused yet gentle hands turned the block this way and that, and a soft voice murmured thoughtfully in the breeze. After some more flips and eyeballing, a knife began chipping away at its skin, the shavings littering the lap below. A soft white cloth was spread over the legs to catch them, and after an hour of this, the block and the knife were set down as the cloth was shaken, wood chips fluttering to the forest floor. Then, darkness once again, and outside the pack, peaceful snores could be heard.

* * *

Sunlight again, but much brighter this time. Birdsong flowed through the air, and there were no trees to offer shade or to lean against. Now, the wood could feel the warmth of the earth as it rested on the ground for a moment. The knife soon joined him, and the two could hear the tinkle of a lyre singing its song, that same soft voice often mixing with the instrument. Following the brief concert, the wood and the knife found their way back into the same pair of hands, and got to work. The wood was much smaller now, and no longer a real block. Its shape wasn’t yet recognizable, but the knife moved with such conviction, there had to be a form in mind.

* * *

It was another beautiful day outside the pack. It hadn’t been outside in a while, the moon already waning, despite the wood having missed the sight of its full, plump form. For now, though, it enjoyed the scent of the breeze and the feel of the kind hands on its form as it continued to bring it to life.

Such tranquility did not last long, however, and the wood was suddenly dropped, the hands replacing it with a sword and shield. Fierce cries rent the once peaceful air, and the sound of clashing metal and yelling were the only things the wood could hear as it lay forgotten in the grass.

* * *

Night again. It couldn’t have been too long, as the moon looked the same, if not more prominent now that it reigned alone in the sky. But there was no more birdsong, and no tranquility. The air seemed heavy, and taught, as if any sound could break it within a moment’s notice. But at least it was free.

Those were the words it repeated to itself over and over again as the knife slipped and scraped against its worn body. It still didn’t know what it was to become, but it was sure that line wasn’t supposed to be there, nor that gouge. It also knew that water was not good for it, despite the shaking hands holding it just so that a few salty sprinkles could land on its body. When it had been picked up last, a strange red substance had rubbed off on it from the hands. It felt sticky and the smell reminded it a bit of the knife. But that had all been wiped clean since, so why was it still getting wet? Odd.

* * *

It had been many moons since then, and it still didn’t know the answer. However, one thing had been revealed in the months that had passed, despite hardly leaving the darkness these days. It knew what it was! At least, it thought it did. First it had been the long beak. Then the broad wings. Then the graceful tail feathers that had sprouted most recently. It was to be a bird! Just like the ones it heard chirping all the time.

The cuts of the knife were gentler now, and smaller. Each one was done with precision, and deliberateness. It had taken a while, but now, when it was out, it could hear humming again, or even the lyre if it was lucky. This is where it sat now, listening to the soothing hums on the wind, and watching as its new body took shape.

* * *

It had been a bird for a while now, and had come to see the outside less and less often. But on the bright side, over time, it had gained six new companions! All wooden, just as it was, and all coming from the same knife it had, now they each wore different bodies from their original forms. It didn’t understand all of the shapes or have names for all of them, but their presence was a welcome change to its solitude. Now, they could sit in the darkness and listen together. Listen to the humming, the lyre, the chatting and laughing, and even the unfamiliar sound of what must have been another instrument playing in the background. It was all very lovely.

* * *

There were nine of them in total now, including itself, and by now, none of them knew how long it had been since they’d left. But today, today was different. The air felt almost as it did all those months ago. Heavy. The rocking of the bag suddenly stopped, and murmurs filled the air. Suddenly, a firm pressure came from outside the bag, squeezing against its holder and pressing the leather walls into their wooden forms. This remained so for what felt like hours until it was finally gone, and they were moving again. A thin stream of light permeated the darkness and one by one the others were lifted up and away, oftentimes that strange pressure returning after a new one left. But it was never as strong as it was earlier, nor did it last as long.

Finally, it was the only one left. It readied itself for its ascension, but it never came. The light disappeared, and it was left alone once more. It was quiet now too, the unfamiliar murmurs had left as well. So, it sat there and did what it did best: it waited.

* * *

It didn’t think it had waited long, maybe just a few hours, or even minutes. At the very least, enough time had passed for it to become lulled by the rocking of the pack it sat in. All it knew was that at some point a pressure like before had appeared and had stayed for nearly just as long. The events afterwards were a blur, with the pressure coming and going, varying in strength and duration. All sorts of sounds could be heard from outside, but they all sounded happy.

Eventually, the sounds faded away and the pressure stopped coming, silence instead returning as a familiar companion. When the bird was finally taken from the darkness it was surprised to find itself being placed upon a familiar shelf. It couldn’t help but slightly disappointed. It had spent so long growing these wings yet it would never live to fly? It sat there, gloomy with the realization when it noticed that it had been sat in such a way that it could see out the window. The light was fading, but it could still see the silhouettes of birds racing through the sky. Well, this would have to do.

A familiar white cloth sailed into view as well. But instead of scurrying off to bed, it was draped over a chair and the bird watched as two familiar hands grabbed a well-known knife, and began to chip away at one of eight new blocks of wood sat nearby. Distantly, the bird thought of its companions. Would these pieces end up looking like them? It sat quietly. Only time would tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope that made sense. You can imagine what Sky carved for each of them yourself, I don't want to put imagination in a box! Xx


	4. Favorite Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, zero ability to stay on schedule. Still, hope you all like it! 
> 
> Another shout-out to Junnieevee for once again helping me out with this chapter! I can't thank you enough!! Xx

_Hyrule was lost._

_Hyrule had absolutely no idea where he was going or where he currently was._

_Hyrule doesn’t have a map, doesn’t even know which way north is!_

He could hear it all now. His friends had such little faith in him! His nickname wasn’t the Traveler for nothing, so of course he knew which way north was. Everybody knows north is up! Hyrule smiled at his own cleverness and began to ascend the mountain. What mountain? Who knew, honestly. Wild had said there were a lot of great ingredients around here so of course he had to volunteer to find some of them. But that was when the sun was shining right above him. Now, it was slipping further and further into the horizon and the sky was getting darker by the second. This is fine.

The mystery mountain (perhaps Wild had told them its name but he’d forgotten by now. Oh well, it was more fun this way) was made out of a strange yellowish rock he’d never seen before, but Wild was right: the vegetation around here was astonishing! He’d never find this much food growing so well in his Hyrule.

As he meandered “north” he helped himself to what he found. Yes, he made sure to keep plenty for the others, but it wouldn’t hurt to indulge just a tad, would it? Who knew when he’d stumble upon this place again? The sun was nearly put to bed by now, tucking the sheets made of rocky cliffs to its chin and settling in for the night. Come to think of it, Hyrule was getting a bit knackered as well. All that eating must have finally gotten to him. The other would surely be worrying by now. He could already see Legend’s annoyed scowl doing its best to hide the concern. Ah, but this mountain wasn’t so big. He would find them eventually, or they would. But what to do for now? He sat down on a felled tree and rested his chin in his hands. What was it Legend had told him the last time they had to track him down? If you’re lost, just stay put. Yes, that was it.

He looked around him. It was kind of barren, and the grass here was much sparser than before. This did not seem like the type of place to sit around for what could potentially be hours waiting for his friends. He stood, brushing off the dirt from his trousers (maybe he could be spared the tongue-lashing from Warriors if he looked at least a little presentable) and continued on his northward path. The top of the mountain was the most obvious place to be and would surely have somewhere he could stay put and rest.

Getting to the top was not too difficult, even with the full belly he had to lug around and the sleep that threatened to steal him away. He knew he had to find somewhere safe soon, lest he be set upon by stalkoblins and the like. The final stretch at last came into view and as he staggered up the last few steps to the peak he felt pride seep into his tired edges. Something glowing blue winked at him in his peripheral, but for once he ignored it in favor of just finding somewhere to rest. However, he also spotted something pink up ahead and elected to follow that.

He rounded on of the large, pillar-like rocks that jutted from the ground like horns and came into view of the most beautiful tree he’d ever seen. Twisted dark brown swirled in coils of graceful branches that caressed the sky with soft fingers. Dainty pink petals sprouted from every inch of the boughs, and covered the surrounding ground with their tiny bodies. Rich green grass covered the earth and a small pool at the tree’s feet reflected the scene with crisp perfection, though the picture was decorated with more of the fluffy blossoms. Even the air was sweet with the perfumed flowers, and Hyrule felt himself getting lulled to sleep on the spot. He rubbed his eyes and stumbled to the base of the tree and fell asleep on a blanket of flowers.

Something was nudging his face. It was cold, and it made strange sounds, yet Hyrule didn’t immediately spring for his sword. He hummed, opening his eyes with trouble, and came face to face with…something. Whatever it was, it had four eyes and was glowing. He tried to stay still as the thing nudges his face again and inspected him closely, both of its faces searching him curiously. It radiated power and yet Hyrule didn’t feel afraid. It was more wisdom and age rather than malevolence. He reached out a hand to touch it but it pulled away and _stepped onto the water._ Definitely powerful.

Now that his vision wasn’t completely occupied with blue he could finally try and figure out what he was looking at. At first glance, it reminded him of a horse, with every aspect reminiscent of one, save for a few features, such as the head, which didn’t remind Hyrue of anything he’d ever seen before. Wait. No, there was something Wild had told them about that looked like that. A blue key? No, that didn’t make sense. A blue…tea? Close, but it still didn’t sound right. A blue…pea? Yes! That sounded right, it must be blue pea. He’ll just have to ask Wild later to make sure.

The horse thing had two blue pea faces smooshed together almost. It even had the golden leaf antlers growing from its head. Glowing golden hooves matched the silvery gold designs that adorned its hide. A thick tail and mane flowed with the same glowing blue light. It turned the pool into a mirror, reflecting the power, and igniting the night sky with a peaceful glow. The pink blossoms too were lit, and sparkled anew. Around him, Hyrule could see other lights entering the clearing. Blue peas!

One by one, they hopped over to the pool, some shuffling into pairs or wandering over to the horse/blue pea standing on the water. A few even inched shyly over to where he sat frozen under the tree. He cautiously held out his hand again, hoping to not scare them away too. One of the creatures sniffed hesitantly at his fingers but Hyrule couldn’t help but feel disappointed when he scampered out of view. So, he settled back into his makeshift bed and tried to fall asleep again. If they didn’t want to interact he’d leave them be and simply enjoy the occasion. He just began to nod off again when a small weight dropped onto his lap. He cracked open an eye and saw one of the glowing rabbit-like creatures curling up on his lap. He smiled and closed his eyes once more after he took one more long look at the beautiful sight before him. Several more glowing bodies curled up beside him and he fell asleep once more.

When he next awoke, it was not to the gentle nudges of an ethereal wonder, but to a scowling Legend shaking him by the shoulders and yelling his name.

“Hyrule, if you’ve been snoozing here the whole time we’ve been looking for you, I swear I’ll—”

“Where did they go?” He mumbled, looking around. He was still where he’d fallen asleep, and the sky was back to its bright blue, the sun already high in the sky. But there wasn’t any sight of his luminescent companions from before.

“Where’d who go?” Legend asked, clearly still angry at his disappearance, but obviously relieved to have found him. “Are they the ones that left all this?”

He gestured to around Hyrule and he was surprised to see that the ground around him was littered not only with flower petals, but a collection of rupees that glittered in the early morning sunlight.

“What the…?” He reached out to pick one up. It was definitely real, but he didn’t understand where it came from. His moneybag wasn’t any lighter, so it wasn’t his, and he definitely didn’t have _that_ much in there anyway.

Legend sighed, dragging a hand down his face, exasperation showing. “Alright, I don’t care how, I don’t care who, and I don’t care why. Just pack it up and let’s get back to the others. They’ve all been worried sick about you and I personally can’t wait to hear what Time’s gonna say.” He smiled evilly.

Hyrule gulped, picking up a flower. “At least I stayed in one place like you said.”

Legend cocked an eyebrow. “Somehow, I doubt the validity of that statement.”

“But then I never would have found this place! And now we have all this extra money. And…these!” He tucked a flower behind Legend’s ear and placing one behind his own. He tried to suppress a giggle when he saw Legend’s blushing cheeks match the pink streak in his hair.

“Whatever.” He grumbled. “Let’s just go.” But he didn’t remove the flower just yet. Hyrule smiled again and tucked a few more flowers into his pack. The others had missed it, so he would share what he could, even if it was just a little pink flower. After all, he was their Traveler, and he didn’t need a map to find what he needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strictly platonic, I just like soft Hyrule, he's a good boy.  
> I needed the image of fluffy-haired best boy Hyrule covered with flowers and blupees because serotonin.
> 
> Also, shh, I know it's blupee, but it'll be really funny when Wild finds out how Hyrule thinks it's pronounced and spelled, lemme have this. 
> 
> Love you all, thanks for reading! Xx
> 
> Edit: At dinner tonight my mum straight up asked me if I was writing fanfiction (anyone can see me typing on my laptop 24/7) and I just said "No" like I didn't JUST upload a new chapter on ao3 10 minutes ago. I'm on thin ice, guys.


	5. Shop pt.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this isn't in order, but I'M the author here, so I'll do as I like, thank you very much. I've split this into two chapters as it got quite long (shocker, I know) but it's already up so no worries! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

“Has anyone seen my scarf?” Warriors shouted across the clearing. He stood in the middle of their quickly disappearing campsite as the others packed up their supplies in preparation for the coming day’s travels. Sleeping pads and blankets found their way attached to packs, and swords were slipped into scabbards. The remains of their campfire lay a sopping pile of wet ashes and half-burned sticks. All around, there was a general bustle of activity but, like the eye of a hurricane, Warriors stood unmoving in the center of it all. Despite the obvious lack of a royal blue scarf around his neck and the nervous way he picked at his scarred arm, the Captain’s appearance was flawless as

“Are you sure you need it today, Pretty Boy? You look polished enough without it.” Legend spoke up from where he gathered his hoard back into his pack.

“I’ll take that as a compliment, Pinkie,” Warriors sniffed. “Did you take it?"

“No. And cut it out with the Pinkie, would you?"

“Then where is it?”

“How am I supposed to know?”

Warriors groaned, running a hand over his face before taking a deep breath. “Please, guys. If this is some idea of a joke, I give. Just tell me where it is.”

Wild swallowed nervously, “Well, Legend did—” But he was cut off by said hero coughing loudly over his next few words. Warriors folded his arms, suspicion evident.

“I thought you said you didn’t take it. _Pinkie_.”

Legend bristled. “Stop calling me that. And technically, I didn’t take it. I had someone else do it for me.”

Warriors growled. “Well, then where is it?"

“Good question. Stop making fun of my hair and I’ll tell you.”

“That’s what this is about? Goddesses, Legend, you know how much that scarf means to me—”

“Yeah, well maybe if you quit making stupid comments about my hair then maybe—”

“ _Boys_.” Time spoke up. He held up a familiar blue item in his hand to Warriors, but when he reached for it, the older man pulled it out of reach, eyeing them both. “Everyone’s had enough of your bickering already so put it to rest. Legend, stop stealing, however directly or indirectly you do it. And Warriors, stop teasing Legend about his hair. You both know better, so act like it.”

And with that, he dropped the scarf into Warriors’ eager hands and walked off. Everyone immediately got to work getting ready, Legend and Warriors avoiding eye contact all the while. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Legend grit his teeth as he blocked another strike from the massive claymore being wielded by the moblin he was currently battling. The force of the blow sent a shockwave through his arms and he felt his knees tremble slightly as he was pushed back. He was getting tired. He staggered where he stood, readjusting his grip on the slippery handle of his sword and prepared for the next attack.

They’d been caught in an ambush, right in an open clearing, infected monsters pouring from the cover of the forest in a wave. A wave that had swept him away from the safety of the others and into the outskirts of the plain, half-covered in shadows and the blood of the monsters he’d killed.

He’d been holding his own for some time now, and though most of him was focused on staying alive, he also couldn’t help but worry for his friends. Surely they must have noticed he was missing, so what was keeping them?

He was shocked out of his reverie by the blur of silver that swept towards him, only his instincts born of countless similar encounters making his body move in time. He ducked underneath the blow, tipping backwards in an effort to dodge the blade coming at his face. Unfortunately, such fervor for survival also led to him falling completely to the ground, his tailbone protesting loudly at the sudden meet with gravity. He saw the moblin raise its sword to stab downwards and immediately knew he wasn’t going to be able to block the blow completely. He attempted to anyway, because screw fate, and to die by such a basic monster would be an insult.

When he moved his own sword to meet the steel train barreling down on him his arms felt like rubber. The screech of metal on metal was a weapon in its own right, and it nearly made Legend drop his sword if only to plug his ears. The claymore came down with sickening speed and deadly accuracy, but was knocked off course by his own blade put up in defense. So, instead of simply skewering him where he sat, instead to gouged a lovely gap in his side and buried itself in the dirt.

Instantly, white-hot pain seared through his body, the tiny fingers of flame scraping across his torso. His vision went blank, and a scream tore itself from his throat. He tried to blink, to clear away the light-headedness from his mind and focus on the moblin that still breathed in front of him. Even though things were getting spotty, he could still see the clear threat in front of him. The moblin struggled to get its sword free from the ground and Legend tried to pick his sword back up from where he’d dropped it at some point apparently. If his arms were rubber then, well now they were practically useless, and he could barely fit the handle into his hand.

His panic was mounting, his breathing turning erratic and his _stupid pink hair_ was getting in his eyes and obstructing his vision—something wet and warm spattered across his cheek. He brought a hand up to dab at the substance and saw his fingertips covered in a familiar dark liquid. He looked up.

Standing over the now dead body of the moblin was Warriors. His chest was heaving, likely from the sprint from…wherever he’d come from, but also from the battle itself. Blood—red this time—dripped down his face and coloured his blonde hair a dark crimson. His blue eyes were filled with panic and, strangely enough, fear. Huh.

Legend must’ve tipped backwards because suddenly he was being cradled in the Captain’s arms and lowered gently onto the ground. The other man was saying something, but he couldn’t make out much before something was pressing _way_ too hard on his side and he was back to seeing white. He stayed like that for some time, trying to breathe through the pounding pain and staying awake no matter how much he wanted to just close his eyes and slip into blissful unconsciousness.

A calloused hand brushed away the strawberry locks from his face and wiped the sweat from his brow. It slapped his face gently, but with enough force to make Legend to crack open his eyes. He saw Warriors leaning over his body, worry evident in his expression and tense body language. One hand was resting on the bundle of blue that was wrapped around his stomach, the other brushing a hand through the knotted strands of hair that had escaped his hat.

“Easy, Vet,” he soothed. “You’re gonna be fine. It’s not too bad, we just need to wait for some help, alright? I’m sorry I don’t have any red potions on me, and your bag isn’t anywhere around here, so just sit tight for a little bit and we’ll have you fixed up in no time.”

Despite the assurances, his voice was tight, laced with anxiety that poured through the cracks of his assumed façade. Legend could tell he was going for an easygoing grin, but there was nothing upbeat about the way his eyes were crinkled with barely-hidden distress, or how his smile kept twitching, like it wanted to be showing a very different emotion. All very non-Warriors-like. He wished he could’ve pondered it longer, but he’d been clinging to consciousness for a very long time now, and now that he knew he wasn’t alone, that last part of him trying to stay awake lost the fight and he closed his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bros don't let bros get shanked by moblins. 
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to read, I appreciate it!


	6. Shop pt.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's part 2 to carry on from last chapter. Felt kinda dumb splitting it up, but I also didn't want to stick this fat lad of a chapter all in one space when these are meant to be short. Apologies if this ruffles your feathers, I just don't think I would've been satisfied no matter what I did.
> 
> Nonetheless, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the end to this prompt!!

Two days later and Legend still hasn’t spoken to Warriors about what had happened that day. Whether it was due to the strange tension that had been stuck between the two of them since their argument and his begrudging embarrassment that he’d had to be saved by Warriors of all people, or the fact that every time he went to talk to him about it, he’d see the obvious lack of blue cloth hanging around his neck causing the words to die in his throat, the two of them were silent on the event. For now, only poorly-hid looks of concern and the odd moment of catching each other staring would pass between them. 

It all came to a head when they arrived in Hateno Village, much to Wild’s delight. They wandered through the small town, enjoying the peaceful and welcoming atmosphere. Along the way to Wild’s house, however, Legend spotted something _very_ interesting. He glanced at the tiny slip of stained blue that stuck out from Warriors’ pack and did some calculations. He was pretty sure he had enough. 

Despite the warm food that sat in his stomach, Legend could only feel the nervous butterflies fluttering inside him. All through dinner he’d sat chewing his food and thinking about the task before him. Wind had already agreed to help him out, all Legend had to do was worry about himself. 

Sure enough, after supper was cleared away, Wind had pulled Warriors away to ask him for some friendly sparring before it got too dark. Now was his chance. Before he could start second-guessing himself, he slipped the scarf into his own pack and walked out the door. No one came after him. Breathing a sigh of relief, he began walking purposefully to the shop he’d spotted earlier. He stopped in front of the entrance, checking to be sure no one else was around, and ducked inside. Automatically, his eyes were drawn to the large, pink-haired man standing in the back. He wore a colourful apron and held several vials in his hands. When he turned, he seemed surprised to see him.

“Well, colour me impressed! So many new faces today, you simply must be a pigment of my imagination. My name is Sayge, and welcome to Kochi Dye Shop! What can I do for you?” Legend paused, his hand lingering over the open bag at his side. “Err, I have kind of an odd request, actually—” 

Sayge immediately darkened, a frustrated _hrmpf!_ Leaving his mouth as he set his hands on his hips. “Well, first let me tell you what I told your friend earlier: this is a dye shop for cloth! I do clothes, linens, and the odd pieces of fabric. Textiles! So, whatever you’re about to ask, make sure it’ something more my shade of work.” 

_His friend?_ Legend had to fight to bite back questions, but swallowed instead, bringing out the reason for his visit. “Just tell me then, is there anything you can do for something like this?” 

The scarf lay limp in his hands, the bright royal blue cloth stained a deep red, nearly black in some spots. There had been no opportunity to wash it, and any small attempts at cleaning it did little to return it to its former glory. These past few days it had been sitting lifeless in the Captain’s bag, garnering pitying looks and sighs of disappointment. 

Legend allowed the shopkeeper to take the scarf into his hands and inspect it. The pink-haired man eyed it closely and rubbed the fabric between his fingers, the odd hum or mumble marking his thoughts. Finally, he set the scarf back into his hands and returned his hands to his hips. 

“I don’t want to know how it happened, but you must know that it will take most of the night to get that kind of stain out. If not, there is a chance I could be able to dye another one to replace it. The stitching on the end, however, is outside of my abilities.” 

Legend looked down at the scarf. Sure, he could fix the odd tear or two, but there was no way he’d be able to replicate the sort of embroidery here. He supposed he only had one option then.

“How soon can I have it back tomorrow?”

* * *

When Legend returned to Wild’s house early the next morning, he was met with a scene eerily similar to one days earlier. However, this time Warriors had already accepted defeat and stood, shoulders slumped next to his bag, which was devoid of the bloodstained scarf. 

“Has anyone seen my scarf? I’m really not in the mood for this right now—" 

“Shut up and come with me.” Legend dragged the sputtering blonde outside, trying to avoid the curious glances of the others, and Wind’s knowing smirk. 

“Legend, if this your idea of another prank, I’m telling you—” 

“Yeah, well I’m telling you to stop being depressed for a second to listen to me.” 

Fortunately, this shut him up long enough for Legend to drag him to the bridge out front without complaint. Upon reaching what he deemed to be a far enough distance from the house he let go of Warriors’ arm and the other man leaned up against one of the wooden beams, crossing his arms expectantly. 

“Alright, you got me, what’s all this about.” His blue eyes were full of suspicious scrutiny, and before Legend could get cold feet, he explained everything even though at times his tongue felt too heavy to do so. He thanked him for saving him that day (because he had to face it—he was screwed before Warriors came along), the guilt that had been eating at him for not thanking him sooner, and finally, the guilt about ruining one of Warriors’ most prized possessions.

Throughout the impromptu speech, Warriors’ face gave away nothing, but softened the instant Legend brought up his scarf. He opened his mouth to say something, but Legend held up a hand to stop him. He had to get this done before his heart closed up again and those walls were rebuilt. He reached into his bag and, eyes lowered in an uncharacteristic display of timidity, and held out a long piece of vibrant blue fabric. In the early morning light, its freshly-washed body shone with joy at having been restored to its former glory.

A quiet gasp and eager hands grabbed at the article and rubbed it between fingers in disbelief. Legend looked up and saw the Captain staring with disbelief at what he held. Realization dawned in his eyes, which glistened with unshed tears, and Legend quickly felt himself closing off as discomfort kicked in. He most certainly was _not_ ready for crying. He started to back away, but couldn’t stop himself from being encompassed by two strong arms, the scarf draping over his own shoulders as it was carried along with the hug. He stood there, frozen for a moment, but eventually his brain kicked in and he felt his arms reach up automatically to reciprocate the gesture.

“Thank you, Legend.” Warriors whispered. He pulled away to hold his shoulders with a gentle squeeze. He wasn’t crying— _thank the stars_ —but his eyes were shining as he beamed at the blue-capped hero. “You don’t know what this means to me. Really.”

A thought must have struck him, as he sobered suddenly, and his joyful gaze turned serious. “I only wish it hadn’t come from a place of guilt.” His eyes widened and he flapped his hands as he backpedaled, “Not that I’m not happy to have it back!”

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. “I just don’t want you thinking I blame you. Because I don’t, for the record. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine for not noticing you needed help sooner. If I hadn’t still been caught up in that stupid argument earlier I wouldn’t have had my head too stuck up my own—”

Legend snapped his fingers in front of his eyes, trying to bring him back from where his vacant gaze had wandered into the land of ‘what ifs’ and ‘could haves.’ “Hey, come back. You did what you could when you got to me. As far as I’m concerned…you saved my life. So, there’s nothing you need to feel guilty for.”

He crossed his arms—a defense mechanism he’d never been able to shake. “Like I said, I’m sorry for taking your scarf the other day, I shouldn’t have gotten so upset about my hair. And if it’s all the same to you, I’d really just like for us to move past this, and that means no unnecessary brooding from either of us.”

He moved to back away, but a hand on his forearm stopped him. Now it was Warriors’ turn to act shy, his other hand going to rub at his neck as he gave a weak smile. “I’d like that, Legend. But if we’re really enforcing the no brooding rule, then I have to get something off my chest first.”

Warriors started to rummage in his bag as Legend looked on curiously. He couldn’t think of anything the Captain had that would interest him. Even when the other hero pulled out a bottle of strange sepia-coloured…liquid was it? Whatever the substance, the colour reminded him of his own hair colour and he once again mourned his mishap with Twilight’s crystal. Wait.

“ _You_ were the friend Sayge was talking about?!” He pointed a disbelieving finger at Warriors, who chuckled nervously and—was that a blush? Was he _embarrassed?_

“I wanted to apologize for calling you names, and when we passed by the dye shop—well you saw his hair, I guess I had to take a chance to make things right. I tried to get as close to your original hair colour as possible, but we can still tweak it if you want…”

Legend stared at the bottle in front of him, brow cocked. “Assuming we’d be allowed back in after making such obscure orders.”

Warriors rolled his eyes, “Look, do you want it or not? I could always just chuck into the stream and—”

The bottle was snatched from his hand and clutched to Legend’s chest protectively. “I never said I didn’t want it!” He eyed the contents thoughtfully, with Warriors chuckling in the background.

“Good. I wouldn’t want to ruin any ecosystems here anyway.”

“Besides, for someone with such a bad taste in accessories, this is actually pretty accurate. It’s a relief to know your eyesight hasn’t gone completely.”

“Aw, come on. I go through all the trouble of procuring this to fix your questionable hair choices, and this is the thanks I get? I thought we were bonding?”

“I won’t deny we had a moment. Emphasis on _had_. Moment over, resume rivalry.”

“Oh, so it’s a rivalry now, is it?”

“One that I’m winning, by the way.”

“Goddesses, I hate you.”

“Likewise.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, time to swallow that pride, boys. Also, who is Legend he felt off writing this, so apologies if he was ooc. Idk, I've been working on this for a while so it's good to have it out. I love you all and hope you guys are doing alright! Thanks again for reading! Xx


	7. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bit of context: This takes place in England, just after the end of World War I, perhaps a few months after that fated November 11, 1918. Some have adjusted better than others. 
> 
> Maybe a warning for smoking and drinking, but it fit the times, so sorry. Also, I may love history, but I'm no professor, so...yeah, sorry for inconsistencies of any kind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda want to write some more of this au, but I already have so many ideas to write about so...  
> I'm a huge history buff and I have been wanting to write a piece around WWI or WWII for some time now, so I hope you all enjoy! Thanks again for reading!! Xx

Cigarette smoke hung over the room like a dark cloud, filling the corners and cracks with its dank odor. The clinking of glasses and the shuffle of cards did well to drown out the sounds of the outside world. Tables were occupied by an assortment of figures, some in merry groups, others left alone to sip slowly at bottles of their preferred poison. At the counter, a lone bartender swiped a cloth over a few glasses, his movements slow and deliberate.

To any onlooker, he was an intimidating sight, what with the large build, scarred eye, and mouth set into a stern line. But those who knew him also saw the gentle way he held each glass, the crow's feet that surrounded his eyes, and the simple gold wedding band he rubbed with affection ever so often. He drew his tired eyes over the evening crowd. It had begun raining early that morning and hadn’t let up since, leading many of the patrons to hole up in here to find some relief from the cold. As such, a fire had been lit in the mantle place to stave off the chill, and the windows had fogged up greatly because of it.

Thus, the bartender didn’t notice the two figures approaching the pub until they had already pushed open its doors and stepped inside, rainwater dripping off their clothes into a generous puddle on the floor. One of them mentioned something softly to his companion before moving to the bar, stripping off his wet coat and hat as he did so and trading them for a white apron. He swept a hand through his hair, trying to keep his brown bangs from obstructing his vision. He smiled brightly at the bartender and stuck out a hand in greeting.

“Evenin’, Mr. Lon Lon. Sorry I’m late. How are you holding down the fort?”

The older man accepted the handshake with a cocked eyebrow, but a grin nonetheless. “I might be your boss, Twilight, but I can still be your father in public too you know. And I’m doing just fine, thank you.”

“Relax, Old Man,” Twilight grinned, “I’m just trying to make sure you don’t get accused of nepotism.”

“It says ‘family run’ on the sign.”

“Right. Because nothing says ‘family’ like a bar.”

“It’s a pub and you know it. Now enough of your cheek, eh? You’ve been hanging around Warriors too much.”

Twilight’s grin faded at that and Time followed his gaze to the forlorn figure sitting near the fireplace. He sighed and pulled out a glass.

“Another one of those days is it?”

Twilight grabbed a bottle, pouring its amber liquid into the container.

“Picked him up on my way here. Didn’t get much out of ‘im when I asked.”

Time took off his apron and exchanged the cloth for the drink.

“Any idea what set ‘im off this time?”

A shrug and Time sighed again. He nodded his thanks and strode off to find a chair next to their friend. Sitting in front of the peacefully blazing fire sat a form that reminded him of one of Malon’s plants he found after a rainstorm like this one: weathered, wilted, and dripping wet. His normally kempt blonde hair matted his face in quickly drying strands, and dazed blue eyes stared unseeingly into the flames. An overcoat lay forgotten on the back of the chair, and his shirt collar lay open in a way that said more about absent-mindedness rather than suggestiveness. A cigarette sat forgotten in his left hand, a small stream of smoke the only tell of its liveliness. All of it foretold of a man Time wished he had not been forced to meet. But thanks to war, they’d all been forced to well acquaint themselves with this shell when the moment arose.

He held out the drink.

“Warriors. It’s me, Time.”

Two eyes slowly tore themselves away from the fire and wandered over to where Time stood, still holding out the glass.

“…Time.”

His voice was soft yet firm, but Time didn’t miss the slight tremor in the hand that accepted the drink. He pulled over a nearby chair and sat beside the former Captain. He didn’t speak, knowing that even in this state, Warriors would find it in himself to state what was troubling him.

A few minutes passed, with Warriors taking a few sips of his drink now and then before he finally spoke up.

“It’s raining again.”

“Yes it is.”

“It’s always raining, it seems.”

“If you say so.”

A sip.

“I didn’t know you smoked.”

“I didn’t.”

A drag of the cigarette. 

“Do ever wish you could just forget it all?”

“Shouldn’t you be asking Wild that?”

“No one deserves what happened to Wild. Not even…well I’m not asking Wild, now am I? You were there, even if it was just for a short while. Still, plenty of time to want to forget.”

“Should I? Want to forget, that is?”

Warriors looked at him again, plucking the cigarette from his mouth. “Well why wouldn’t you? The blood, the guns, the screams. I can’t stand it anymore, this rain, the mud it creates. All it does is drag us down to drown us when the enemy is too far for our rifles. Every clap of thunder, every flash of lightning. My mind isn’t my own anymore, Time. My heart beats too fast for me, my brain gets full of these pictures, these memories…”

His cigarette fell to the wooden floorboards and Time was quick to grab the glass from him before he could drop that as well. He stomped on the smoking stub before kneeling in beside the shaking man in the chair and taking his hands into his own. His breathing had quickened and his eyes had grown wider with every word, panic seeping into the azure irises.

“The rain is so loud, Time. What if we can’t hear the guns? They could be marching for us right now, but the rain is too thick, thick like mud, thick like blood…”

Time tugged the hands towards his chest to where his heart sat. He spoke softly, but urged the man to look into his eyes. “Warriors, please listen to me. Please!”

That got his attention. His voice tapered off and there was a moment of silence that passed between the two of them as Warriors’ breathing slowed. His eyes were red and shining with unshed tears, and Time could feel his heart breaking at the sight. For much of his life, Warriors had been like a son to him. Then, that boy grew up and he became a brother. But at this moment, he looked into those eyes and saw nothing but that same young lad he’d called his own. He pressed the still slightly shaking palm onto his chest, right where his heartbeat was strongest.

“I know you’re feeling a lot of things right now, Warriors, and I know you know that not all of it’s real. But I also know that you can feel this. I’m alive, and you are too. There’s always gonna be blood, but this is the good kind. That beating tells us there’s blood rushin’ through my whole body, warming me up to my nose, just like that fire there. You’re safe now, Warriors. You won the war, and you came out a hero. You don’t need to worry about the guns anymore. You’ve got good friends and family to rely upon and I don’t think we’re worth forgettin’ now.”

Warriors shook his head. “No. I don’t want to forget you. I just…” His eyes shone and Time watched as a few tears rolled down his cheeks. “I’m tired, Time. Tired of feeling all this and being so helpless. I want to get better already.”

Time caught the man in a hasty grab as he suddenly slumped forward, his own taller height allowing the embrace to not be as awkward as it could have been with the chair arm in between them. He ignored the few curious patrons who stared at the sight in favour of clutching the crying man closer to him, murmuring sweet nothings as he rubbed his back, waiting until the quiet tears turned to the odd sniffle or two. A muffled voice spoke up from where Warriors had buried his face in Time’s neck.

“It’s raining again.”

“Yes it is.”

“Will it ever stop?”

“Someday.”

“If you say so.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just for clarification, Time did serve for a bit but was honorably discharged when he lost his eye. As for afterwards, so far I'm thinking he and Malon ran a children's home out in the country for those younglings misplaced by the war. Still tryna figure out everyone else though...but I think Wild was also drafted and tasked with protecting a village, but when it was bombed he lost his memory and got his iconic scars, leaving him honorably discharged as well.
> 
> If you all have any ideas or comments, I'd love to hear them! Otherwise, thank you SO MUCH for reading, I love you!! Xx


	8. Oufiltrated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Modern AU: Infiltrating the building to try and get back one of their own wasn’t the hard part. Getting out on the other hand...
> 
> Possible warnings for guns, violence and blood, but it's not very graphic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying out another AU! I had fun writing this, but I'd love to know your opinions on whether or not it interests you! I can't thank you all enough for reading!  
> *Also, if you get the chapter title reference, you are truly elite sorry, I don't make the rules*  
> Xx

It really was amazing how quickly things could escalate. How exactly a simple retrieval task turned into a full-blown rescue mission was beyond him, but he had to admit, it definitely surpassed his expectations for the weekend. Nothing to bring the gang together like a good old-fashioned smash-and-grab of the teammate variety. Speaking of teammates…

“Hey, Smithy, am I there yet?” he whispered into the comms. There was a brief crackling in his ear before a familiar voice sounded.

_“You’re nearly there, Veteran. Take the next left and it should be the second door to the right.”_

“It _should_ be?”

 _“Yeah. It_ should _be. I don’t see you reading these schematics.”_

“That's the problem. All _I’m_ seeing are the same three doors and blank hallways."

Apparently, there were only two choices for décor when it came to villains: too much flair, or nothing at all. This particular building fell under the latter choice, and as a result, getting lost was a definite possibility. All the walls were white, with bright ceiling lights nearly blinding him every step he took. The floors were made of worn grey linoleum and did little to break up the assault of nothingness on his eyes. The whole place smelled like a mixture between a hospital and a liquor store (which is something he never wanted to experience) and he had to fight to not crinkle his nose in disgust as he navigated through the bland maze.

Beneath him, he could feel an explosion shake the building in a very obvious warning. And there was the smash portion of their little infiltration. He careened to a halt in front of another nondescript door, his boots skidding slightly on the slick floor. Now for the grab.

He tried the door. Locked, as to be expected. He sent a quick glance to either end of the hallway before he knelt next to the knob, prepared to pull out one of Four’s gadgets when the door suddenly swung open with a _click_ and he was staring back at an equally surprised guardsman. A beat of confusion passed between the two of them, but Legend recovered from his shock first, lunging forward to yank the man’s leg out from under him. Abandoning his earlier search for a lock pick, he instead pulled a small tazer, pressing it into the guard’s side before he could cry out.

He still had a pulse, but considering the impressive fireworks show Wild had planned for this place once they were out, it might’ve been better if the man hadn’t survived the takedown.

A groan broke him from his reverie and he mentally slapped himself for getting distracted. Dragging the unconscious man from the doorway, he finally took the time to search the room for his target. Distantly, he noticed a voice coming from his earpiece, but chose to ignore it in favour of dashing over to the limp form sat in the middle of the room. Tied to a metal chair as basic as the rest of the complex, was Twilight. Finally.

_“Did you find him, Veteran? Vet?”_

“Yeah, I got him. But he’s in bad shape. Tell Traveler he’s gonna be working tonight after all.”

_“Copy that.”_

Because in all honesty, Twilight _wasn’t_ looking his best. Of course, being held in enemy hands for nearly 24 hours will do that to you. Several bruises marred his face, and dried blood dripped from a swollen lip and discoloured nose. At least they hadn’t had time to get rid of any of the layers following the kevlar they all wore underneath their usual black clothing. Warriors had undergone a very…revealing interrogation a few months ago that had done well to make them all bundle up a tad more.

Simply giving the wounded man a once over led to the assumption that aside from a few superficial, albeit painful injuries, their Rancher was relatively unharmed. That is, until he decided to wake up. Dazed eyes wandered aimlessly around the room before landing on Legend, a smile creeping onto the damaged face.

“Veeeeeet! You came for me!”

His words were slurred and eyes dilated to such a point that Legend immediately looked to the crook of his friend’s elbow. As he suspected, there was some concerning bruising surrounding punctures in the skin. He sighed and pulled out a knife. Drugs, he wasn’t sure he could do much about, but zip ties he could do. He inched forward, intending to cut the ones keeping Twilight’s wrist trapped to the arm of the chair, but stopped when he saw Twilight had frozen, staring at the knife with amazing scrutiny.

“Vet…why—when did you replace your fingers with knives? Are you going to turn my hands into knives too?” His eyes filled with tears and he looked into Legend’s eyes with a sorrowful expression. “Please don’t. How—how will I pet my dog? Leg—Veteran, I can’t live like this, please—"

He started to struggle against the ties, trying to get away from Legend’s advancements, but stopped when Legend placed a hand on what he figured was the least painful area on his face, forcing him to meet his eyes. He smiled gently, even though he felt time ticking by and the back of his neck burned with the possibility of someone sneaking up behind him.

“Hey. Calm down. Just relax, Rancher,” he tried to use a soothing voice. “I’m not gonna do anything to your hands, ok? You want to go pet your dog right now?”

Furious nodding, immediately followed by a wince.

“Great. We can go see your dog, but first we need to get out of here, understand?”

More nodding followed by a shake of the head. He sighed.

“That’s fine, just hold still at least.”

Thankfully, cutting the bonds was much easier this time around and Twilight was free in no time at all. Unfortunately, that did not equate to him being able to walk, as Legend soon saw. Upon finding that he was no longer confined to the chair, Twilight immediately lurched forward in a frankly, pathetic attempt to stand, but his wobbly legs gave way immediately and Legend barely had enough time to drop the knife and catch him before he hit the floor.

He grunted and tried to maneuver their bodies so that Twi’s arm was flung over his shoulder, allowing Legend to grip both that and the other man’s waist to pull him into a sloppy imitation of a standing human. He craned his neck so that he could activate his comms.

“I’ve got him. We’re making our way down now.”

_“Copy. Do you need help?”_

“No need. I got him.”

Twilight chose that moment to go completely boneless and Legend couldn’t do anything to stop his stupid farmhand body from dragging him down as well. They both hit the floor with a significant _thud_. And judging by the amused chuckling he heard through his ear, he hadn’t been able to end the connection before the embarrassment occurred.

_“Riiiight. I’m sending the Captain up.”_

His head shot up. “No! Anyone but him!”

Too late. He heard the static cut out and was left with the mental image of a smirking Four illuminated by computer screens. Oh, he would get him for this. But until then…

“Ok, Rancher. Time to go." 

Hauling the drugged man off the floor and back into a standing position was an experience to say the least, but after what felt like hours, they’d finally made their way out the door and down the hall. It was slow going. With Twilight more or less incapable of walking on his own, Legend was practically dragging the poor guy. Combined with having to constantly shush his drug-induced ramblings, Legend was a little too preoccupied to stop the baton that suddenly whipped out from around the corner to hit him square in the face.

A sharp pain bloomed in his jaw and his neck twinged in pain as his head whipped harshly to the side. He felt his hold on Twilight loosen and before he knew it, Twilight was falling once more to the floor.

Sadly, he could not come to his aid as that was also when their assailant decided to show his face. Coming round the corner, Legend could see that this guy was much larger than the guard from before. He wasn’t however, any more noteworthy. Two eyes, two arms, and a very big stick. Oh, and a _lovely_ smile.

He went to make one of his classic snide comments but his jaw tweaked in a way that merely resulted in a grimace instead. He’d settle for a scowl then. The man chuckled darkly and readjusted his grip on the baton in a _most_ threatening manner.

“How’s that jaw feeling then?” He cracked a crooked yellow grin that suggested anything _but_ concern for his health. Legend balled his fists, prepared to show him _exactly how he felt about—_

A shot rang out, echoing through the empty halls, immediately followed by the agonized screaming of the lackey, who was at this point writhing on the ground and clutching his bleeding leg, big stick forgotten.

“A lot better than your leg, I reckon."

Warriors’ voice sounded amused, but it was laced with fatigue. Legend looked up to see him standing just past the stairwell doorway, chest heaving and arm still outstretched from when he took the shot. His clothes and face were covered in scorch marks and he had a bleeding lip, but otherwise looked to be in good condition. He brightened when he saw Legend and Twilight, tucking his gun into its holster before rushing over to them, completely ignoring the bleeding guard aside from kicking his weapon out of reach, though Legend didn’t think that would be a problem any time soon.

“Sorry it took me so long, Vet.” He apologized. “Ran into some snags along the way.”

He bent down to inspect a very dazed Twilight. The Rancher wore a small grin and his eyes widened when he saw Warriors, his hand coming up to rest on his golden locks, giving them a few pats of admiration.

“Soft…”

Legend watched with amusement as Warriors’ face morphed from worried to confusion. He met Warriors’ questioning eyes with a knowing smile before pointing to the crook of his elbow. Understanding dawned in the other man’s eyes and he chuckled, setting a hand on Twilight’s shoulder.

“I see. How’re you holding up, big guy?”

“There are three of you!”

“That’s great, buddy. You wanna go tell Mask?”

One enthusiastic nod from Twilight was all the confirmation Warriors needed to reach over and begin to pull Twilight’s limp body onto his shoulders into a fireman’s carry. Legend rushed over to help ease the process and Warriors nodded his thanks once they got Twilight situated. Legend turned to lead the way down but Warriors stopped him before he could walk away.

“Wait.” He jerked his head in the direction of his holster. “Take my gun. I won’t be a whole lot of help right now so you’ll need to protect all of us.”

Legend nodded and took the firearm in hand, making sure there were was already a bullet in the chamber before nodding again and turning back once more. This time, he heard Warriors following, his harsh breaths mixing in with Twilight’s odd comments about…waffles it seemed. When he checked to make sure the stairwell was clear he sent a questioning glance over to the blonde, but he rolled his eyes and chuckled slightly.

“I can handle it, Vet. It’s the Rancher and your jaw I’m worried about.” He paused to think. “That and the reminder that Wild is waiting to blow this place as we speak. So I suggest we get a move on, yes?”

Legend huffed in annoyance but led the way despite the worry that he knew would only disappear once they had the team back together in a place preferably far away from this soon-to-be-demolished building. Getting down the stairs turned out to be quite easy, and Legend only had to use the gun a few times to incapacitate the underlings they ran into on the ground floor. Again—why they were restricted to non-lethal shots when the whole place was going to be blown up anyway was beyond him, but it made Mask happy. At least, he thought it did. He was a hard one to read, hence the pseudonym.

Having finally found the exit, they emerged from the complex to find absolute pandemonium waiting outside. Smoke was everywhere and flames licked at most surfaces. The air was filled with the sounds of fighting, and _something_ was launched into the air, flying overhead and crashing into a nearby pile of crates. In other words, everything was going according to plan.

A grinning Wild came careening into view, several sparking items clutched in his hands. “Hey guys, you found Rancher! Everything’s ready, we were just waiting for you three.”

“Perfect. We’re gonna head to the truck. I can’t use my hands and Legend can’t talk, so tell the Smithy it’s time to go. Are the others' comms still in working condition?”

“Aye aye, Captain!” He saluted, sparks flying dangerously close to his crazed hair.

“Then we should be fine. If you’re all rigged and ready to blow then go make sure the others don’t need help and rendezvous at the truck. And Champion…maybe you should get rid of those.”

He gestured to the bombs in Wild’s hands. The scarred teen laughed and turned to chuck them at a group of angry henchmen coming towards them. Then he scurried back into the fray continuing to laugh. Legend and Warriors watched him with trepidation.

“I’m…glad he’s on our side.”

Legend nodded. Agreed.

Twilight started squirming on Warriors’ shoulders, trying to look in the direction Wild had left. “Cub? I can hear his music. Lemme sing too!”

He continued to try and wriggle off Warriors’ shoulders, but only succeeded in elbowing the man in the face and tiring himself out. His spurt of energy expended, he flopped back into the hold, tears once more starting to form in his eyes.

“I want my doggy.”

Warriors patted his thigh solemnly, but Legend could tell he was fighting back a laugh. “I know buddy, I know. If you stay still we can go see him, ok? Can you do that for us?”

“…Yes.”

“Good boy. Veteran? Will you be a good boy too?”

Legend rolled his eyes and shoved him in the chest. He beckoned them to follow and stepped into the chaos. He takes it back, this is _exactly_ how he imagined his weekend. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Codenames at the moment are:  
> Time: Mask (but I considered Deity though I'm still unsure)  
> Twilight: Rancher (basic, boring, but what else? Wolf?)  
> Warriors: Captain (?)  
> Legend: Veteran  
> Four: Smithy (Smith?)  
> Wild: Champion  
> Hyrule: Traveler  
> Wind: Sailor  
> Sky: Chosen
> 
> Yes, they're all boring, but I was worried about it being too confusing if I used original names. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share! I had a lot of fun writing this, so please let me know if this is worth exploring! Thank you all for reading, I love you!! Xx


	9. Hyrule Manor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deep in the countryside, there lies a house. Built for the wealthy, it now lies empty save for the few spirits that now occupy it. Until now...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am once again writing AUs.

The house was large, though how large Wind had yet to find out. The rain that fell into his eyes made it impossible to see how tall the windows reached, and how wide the stone walls stretched. The darkness of the night covered the sight of an overgrown garden and vine-covered gate. But again, Wind missed most of this when he arrived, too focused on his battle to stay awake despite the fatigue that weighed his body down like a chain.

He stumbled down the gravel path that led to the front doors. A broken flowerpot caused him to trip and fall, and his palms burned where he tried to catch himself. But he got up anyway, and somehow made it through the massive front doors and into the foyer. It was still cold, but at least it was dry, more or less. Through the haze of sleep that threatened to take over completely, Wind found his way to what looked to be a sitting room of some kind and flopped onto the first sheet-covered piece of furniture he saw. Then, he fell asleep.

Meanwhile, two pairs of eyes looked on, curious as to the nature of this new being that had invaded their house.

* * *

“What are we to do with him?”

“I don’t know, he’s so small…”

“We gotta kill him.”

“What?! No! He didn’t do anything!”

“ _Yet_. How do we know he isn’t some criminal?"

“He is but a child.”

“Never stopped me.”

“Silence, Legend. Step back.”

Wind felt cold air wash over his face and he scrunched his nose in annoyance, his grip tightening on the white sheet he was lying on. Sunlight shone against his eyelids and he tried to ignore the chill that spread through his body. A frigid wind suddenly whipped at his hair and he shot up, rubbing his arms to get them warm. His whole body was still damp, and he could already feel the adverse affects of exposure starting to take its toll on his body. He shivered again, and his entire body shook so violently he almost fell off the settee he’d settled on.

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked up. Then, he really fell off the small sofa, his shock carrying him to the stone floor in a second. Standing, er, _floating_ right in front of him were three pale, transparent spectres, all watching him with various expressions of amusement. One of them had atrociously long hair tied back in a messy low ponytail and had some wicked-looking scars that covered part of his face. He wore a strange tunic that reminded him of pictures he’d seen of medieval knights, and Wind decided to ignore the large sword strapped to his back and try to make sense of the other two watching him as well.

The first one wore looked more suspicious than amused, and didn’t look happy about the hand the scarred ghost held out to stop him (could ghosts do that to each other?). He wore a ratty collared shirt and a thin-bare waistcoat to match his ragged trousers. Bangs peeked out from a cap stuffed onto his head, and a small bag hung off from his shoulder.

Beside him was another boy, similarly dressed, but not so unhappy to see him. He had fluffy hair and freckles, and Wind could imagine how his sun-kissed skin must’ve looked when he was alive. One thing that did strike him as odd was the lack of a shoe on his left foot. All three of them lacked colour and hovered a few inches off the ground, and if Wind looked hard enough, he could see the opposite wall right through their bodies.

“W-who are you?”

The trio shared a look, then the scarred one stepped forward, gesturing to himself. “I am the one they call Wild. These are my companions, Legend and Hyrule. Why hast thou—"

“Alright, that’s enough, mate,” the capped one rolled his eyes. “I’m Legend, he’s Hyrule, and what in the queen’s name are you doing here?”

Wind was at a loss for words. “Ok, _what_ are you?”

“Oh! We’re ghosts!” The third one—Hyrule—popped up, eager to finally speak up. “We linger here.”

Wind eyed the front doors. “You don’t say. Where am I exactly?”

Hyrule opened his mouth to answer, but Legend held up a hand and scowled. “We’re not telling you anything else until you tell us why you’re here.”

Wind rolled his eyes. “If I don’t know where I am, how can I tell you why I’m here? It was raining, I was tired, and I saw this place, end of story.”

“’Tis a fair point.” Wild nodded. He gave a very formal bow. “Welcome to Hyrule Manor, house of the undead, room and board of the lost, and resting place for those unable to move on.”

Hyrule pushed in front of him and smiled brightly at Wind, hands clasped in excitement. “Excuse him, it’s one of his off days. It’s brilliant that you’ve found us! It gets pretty boring with the same faces every day. Will you be staying for a while? What’s your name? You’re still alive, aren’t you? To be honest, though, you don’t look so good. Maybe—”

“That’s enough, Hyrule.” Legend pulled him back, but eyed Wind suspiciously. “He is right, though, lad. You look a bit pale.”

He bit his lip in consideration, then beckoned for him to follow. When Wind stood up, only then did he notice just how cold he was. His body was wracked with shivers, and he tried to keep his teeth from chattering too loudly. Had he not still been trying to wrap his head around the fact that he was being led through a giant house by three ghosts he would’ve been trying to explore every nook and cranny. But every time he looked back to the transparent bodies floating ahead, any such thoughts immediately dissipated.

“My name’s Wind, by the way.”

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance then, Wind.” Hyrule replied. He slowed to move beside Wind instead of ahead of him. “Why were you outside on such a stormy night? You’re kinda young to—”

“—I’m not a child!” He snapped and immediately regretted. “Sorry. I didn’t—”

“It’s alright,” Hyrule went to pat his back, but Wind just felt coldness where his hand landed. “Legend gets snappish sometimes too. We all have things we’re sensitive about, and I’m sure you’re very confused and scared, but not to worry. We’ll have you fixed up in no time.”

“I’m not scared. Worried, maybe. But not scared.”

“Worried about what?”

“…just…someone.”

Hyrule hummed. “Any more questions?”

“Why do you all look so normal? I thought you had to die in some gruesome way to become a ghost, but you all look like regular people.”

“Mind what you say about appearances around Wars.” Legend scoffed. He turned to face Wind, a wicked grin in place. “You almost sound disappointed though. So tell me—” His grin turned feral and Wind watched in surprise as Legend’s eyes turned pale and glazed. His cheeks became hollow, turning his whole face skull-like to match his thinning body. Various cuts and patches of raw skin appeared all over his body, and one of his arms began leaking ghostly blood. The air around him seemed to reek of miasma, and Wind could’ve sworn the light was sucked from the room as well as the warmth. Legend smiled a broken smirk. “—Is this more what you had in mind?”

Wind could only stare as his mouth gaped like a fish. A cold hand grabbed his and yanked him further down the hall before he could comprehend anything properly. He looked up to see Hyrule had taken hold of his wrist and was leading him into a large room.

“Forget him,” he sighed. “He just likes to show off. And before you ask, no, most spirits cannot interact with physical objects, but I’m special, I guess. Now strip.”

For some reason, only the last line made it into Wind’s brain. “Excuse me, what?”

Wild pointed from his spot next to the doorway to a chest at the foot of the bed. “That vessel contains garments that you will find much more lacking in dampness compared to your own. Your body contains a chill we must excavate before it takes your life. Fear not, we shall grant you your privacy. Simply change behind yonder screen while Sir Hyrule attends to the fire.”

Part of Wind wanted to argue, to rub his eyes again just to find out he’d been dreaming the entire time, but another, more fun part of him prodded him to go along with it, so five minutes later he was snuggled up in a musty four-poster bed wearing an equally as musty smock, and trying to get warm. All while three ghosts watched over him and did their best not to make the whole occasion more awkward than it already was.

“I gotta admit,” he wondered aloud. “I didn’t expect such an old house to still have such comfortable furniture. Or clothes.”

“The fact that it’s haunted didn’t do anything for you, though?” Legend raised an eyebrow.

Wind shrugged. “Eh, seems pretty par for the course, really. But don’t worry, Legend. You looked plenty spooky back there in the hallway.”

He yawned, choosing to ignore the imaginative swears being tossed in his direction. Another shiver ran through him, and he closed his eyes. It was still daytime, sure, but this newfound heat and his long night prior left him plenty tired for at least a nap. Another yawn.

“Thanks for letting me stay, guys.”

“Hey, wait. No one said anything about staying!”

“Aw, c’mon, Legend. Just let him sleep for now at least. He has a cold.”

“Aye. The child requires rest in order to regain his health…”

But Wind was too tired to get annoyed by the comment, his mind already drifting into a dream-filled sleep where ghosts swung swords, started fires, and put sick boys to bed. All in all, not the worst place to crash.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ye, they all dead. Well, except Wind, he's fine. Tfw you can't stop writing new ideas, but also need to flesh them out said ideas...
> 
> Thank you all again so much for reading, commenting, and sending kudos!! Xx


	10. Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sneaks in* Heyyy, how y'all doing?  
> Not me sitting down and writing an entire chapter I suddenly had an idea for instead of finishing the four other chapters I've actually thought through all in the span of two days after nearly two months of inactivity ha ha
> 
> As always, you guys are great and I hope you enjoy it! Xx

“So you’re telling me it’s always like this?” grumbled Wind.

“More or less,” Wild shrugged. It was difficult to properly see his expression since his Hylian hood covered most of it, but the nonchalant tone of his answer said plenty. Their trek through the Thunder Plateau wasn’t planned or pleasant for many reasons, the two biggest being the fact that most of them had to remove their armour (removing Time’s plate armour was a team effort) and weapons were now in short supply.

Their mutual discomfort was not easily hid either. Sky’s hand kept lingering on the strap that once held the Master Sword, Legend continued to rub at his fingers as if to turn the rings that used to be there, and Time seemed unnervingly light on his feet.

Upon arrival, wooden weapons were divided amongst them quickly and without much argument, though there were a few murmurings about the risks of not all of them being armed. Most of them had at least a bow and a few arrows but melee weapons that could be used in a lightning storm were apparently still on their shopping list. As of right now, there was one moblin club, a bokoblin spear, and…a wooden ladle. After a brief game of Not it! Sky humbly accepted the spoon and the remaining heroes tried their best not to look him in the eyes. Time wielded the club, Wind the spear, and Wild confidently picked up a random tree branch and called it good.

Continuously drenched by the icy raindrops that fell from the cloudy heavens, the party wasn’t in the most talkative of moods, and many of them were simply too on edge to think about anything else other than watching for enemies in the distance. So, naturally, that was the moment they were attacked.

Emerging through the curtain of rain like wraiths, the assortment of monsters didn’t give them a chance to wipe the droplets from their eyes before they struck. Lizalfos struck out with their tails and bokoblins swung their fists, trying to seize the upper hand before the skirmish could truly begin.

“Those with weapons focus on the bigger threats first!” Warriors shouted above the din of the fray. “Try to fill in for each other!”

The next few minutes consisted of yelling, grunting, and the occasional curse or comment about the offending creatures’ lack of hygiene and/or visual appeal. Although largely weaponless, the group of heroes were not without skill, and soon they found that the number of monsters was waning and they could finally take a breath in between foes. Four took the time to gather a few more stones for his sling, Hyrule checked his arrow supply, Wind twirled his spear victoriously, and Warriors unwound his scarf from the neck of a now dead bokoblin.

Meanwhile, the others finished taking out the last of their opponents with ease, and they were drawn towards one another to reconvene. However, before they could do so, a mighty roar rent the air, stopping them in their tracks.

“Hey, doesn’t that sound like a—” Wind was cut short by a series of earth-shattering stomps that had them all struggling to keep their balance. A towering silhouette was getting closer, and the sense of foreboding grew stronger in time with each step that sent the ground rocking.

Suddenly, a long dark shape hurtled towards them with startling speed, shooting out from the obscurity of the rain and into clarity as the trunk of a tree. Those further away from the projectile were able to quickly duck or roll out of the way, but Warriors, who was nearest, wasn’t able to dodge fast enough and dropped like a stone after the log clipped him over the head.

“Warriors!” Wind cried, immediately climbing to his feet to check on him. But Twilight shot out an arm and pulled him back before he could do so, much to Wind’s annoyance.

“Wind! I’ll go check on him. You need to help the others. I’m strong enough to get him out of harm’s way, and you’re the one with an actual weapon. Trust me, alright?”

Wind’s eyes kept switching from Twilight and the prone form of Warriors, obviously fighting to keep his emotions from winning out against the sound logic Twilight had presented. After a few seconds more he shook his head with a huff and tore his arm from Twilight’s grip, decision made.

“I trust you. Just take care of him.”

With that, he tightened his grip on his spear and turned to assist their friends in the fight, a fierce battle cry streaming from his lips. Twilight felt something in his chest burn with fondness at the sight, and he smiled before running over to the Captain.

Meanwhile, although the rain might’ve been considered helpful in that it softened the ground (thus making any abrupt dismounts from the hinox’s back less bone-shattering), it also made visibility a complete crap-shoot, even with their only target being one solid mass. After abandoning its projectile completely, the Links supposed they could count themselves lucky that they only had to deal with the monster’s fists and occasional body slams into the mud.

What didn’t help was the fact that they were all quickly becoming tired. Combined with the exhaustion that came after their earlier fight and the increased difficulty that came with sticky mud and rain-heavy clothes, their movements were growing sluggish.

Attacking the hinox was like trying to fight a boulder. A boulder with four limbs, a sorry excuse for a loincloth, and a sickly-looking yellow eye that grew from its head like a sore. To make matters worse, Sky’s ladle had broken long ago, and Wind could feel his spear growing more brittle by the second. After a particularly hard jab at its bulbous leg, he heard the wood splinter in warning. Cursing, he jumped out of the way of greedy hands and swung the spear at the giant eye, imagining he was using a harpoon to nab a particularly ugly fish.

The weapon broke with a shimmer of blue and left the hinox writhing in pain as it fell onto its backside, hands clutching its face. The guttural bellow it let out seemed to ignite whatever fight was left in the heroes and they charged forwards with renewed vigor.

Time immediately went to deliver a crushing blow to the creature’s body with his club, but the low visibility seemed too much for the one-eyed hero and he missed the hand that came to swat him away, sending him rolling in the mud. Having regained itself, the hinox lurched to its feet to follow, an angry growl rattling its large frame.

Legend cursed, frantically searching for anything to use as a weapon. He didn’t have his sword, any of his jewelry, and his fire rod was still with Warriors, who was still out of commission. He checked the ground for any rocks or at least a stick like Wild had used earlier (not that it lasted that long), but it was as if the ground had never been anything other than mud. He looked back at Time, seeing that he was still trying to clear his head from the earlier abuse. But his club was just sitting there, sticking out from the mud like a piece of driftwood on the ocean.

“Time! Pass it!” He cupped his hands over his mouth, hoping his voice would carry over the downpour. Thankfully, he was answered by the sight of the club sailing through the air towards his outstretched hands. He didn’t hesitate to rush forward, driving the wood into the back of the monster’s knee, halting its stalk towards Time. When he backed away from the reach of its arms, he heard another voice calling out to him. To his right, Hyrule was waving at him and repeating his previous request. Sending another glance to their oversized opponent, he tossed the club into Hyrule’s waiting hands.

And so began an impressive game of catch between the seven heroes. Dodging and weaving in between and around the legs of the beast one moment and attacking the next, they were in perfect sync with each other. Warriors might’ve been proud of their teamwork were he not passed out in the mud, Twilight’s careful ministrations.

So caught up in the euphoria of their coordination and the slow but steady overpowering of the hinox, that none of them noticed their shared weapon growing weaker by the second, until finally it exploded in a shower of blue sparks against leathery skin. Four looked down at his empty hands in surprise.

“Whoops,” he chuckled nervously.

“What do we do now?” Sky shouted. His wet hair hung over his head like a helmet, and he had to run a hand through it to fling it out of his eyes.

Thunder boomed overhead and Wild’s mouth widened in realization. He pulled out his sheikah slate and began to frantically flip through it. “I have an idea but I’ll need a few seconds to get ready. When I tell you guys to get back you better do it!”

A collective agreement was made then, and they all did their best to distract the hinox from Wild as his figure began to swirl in familiar swirls of sheikah technology. Even Twilight joined in from the sidelines, adding his shouts to the circus the heroes were making out of the skirmish. At this point Wild had changed into a black outfit that looked partially reminiscent of a fish, and had armed himself to the teeth in regular metallic weaponry which had already begun attracting a suspicious number of sparks.

“Everybody get back!” He announced, and began to dance around the enemy in a daring display of agility, somehow staying close by yet just out of reach of wayward arms. Twilight watched with a growing sense of panic as the gear that adorned Wild seemed to glitter with electricity. What kind of plan _was_ this? He scrambled to his feet, intending to rip the volatile equipment from his back, but a small hand gripped his arm and pulled him away.

“Quit it, Twi. He said he’s got a plan.” Wind struggled to keep Twilight in place.

“He’s gonna get himself killed!” Twilight whined, unable to stop the worry from leaking into his voice. Wind’s feet began to drag through the mud, unable to match the other’s strength, so the smaller boy opted to just push against his stomach, finally able to stop the rancher in his tracks.

“He’ll be fine, ya dummy! Just trust him, alright?” Wind quirked a brow at Twilight’s shocked face staring down at him. Then he heaved great breath and stepped back, letting Wind’s hands fall back to his sides.

“I know, kid. I just—”

The smell of ozone filled their nostrils and the sky parted with a _crack!_ A flash of blazing light enveloped both Wild and the hinox in a stream of pure energy that lasted barely a second before it was gone and only Wild was left standing triumphantly over the quickly-disappearing body of the defeated hinox. Twilight did his best not to completely lose it over the sight of his proclaimed protégé being struck by lightning, but this time Wind couldn’t stop him from running over to Wild and check him over for any wounds.

“What the hell Wild?! How are you still standing right now?” he tried to process what had just occurred, but Wild’s scarred face was too unnerving as he just stood there smiling.

“Relax Twi. I’ve upgraded my rubber armour to the point where I’m unshockable. I’m perfectly fine.” Wild reassured, pushing Twilight’s hands away. Sparks began to gather around him once more and he hurried to store the weaponry into his slate once more.

The others caught up in a huddle around Wild, either to congratulate him or half-heartedly berate him for shocking them (“Don’t worry Time, we get it.”). They all shared a few laughs at close calls and congratulations at each other’s quick-thinking.

“I’ve never felt more connected to you guys in battle before,” Four mused, eyes glinting with contemplation.

“Felt pretty good too. Like we all knew exactly what the others were thinking.” Hyrule grinned.

Legend nudged him with his elbow and smirked. “Damn straight. Nice catch by the way, ‘Rule.”

Their reflections were cut short by a small groan that cut through the rain like a knife, drawing each pair of eyes (and just the one) to the young man that still lay unmoving on the ground. Twilight mentally face palmed and let Wind run to their friend without interfering. Wind crouched next to the limp blonde, taking his head into his lap.

“Wars! How are you feeling?”

From between tired eyelids dazed blue stared back at him. “Did…did Wild just explode?”

“Yeah, but he’s fine. He’s a professional. Trust me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Club: *breaks*  
> Four: (chuckles) I'm in danger 
> 
> Anywho, I hope it wasn't too bad after going so long without writing about these mad lads. I was just struck (I'm so funny I know) with this idea after I recently fought Thunderblight Ganon again and felt like a god with my lv. 4 rubber armour. One divine beast down, three more to go! 
> 
> Thank you all for taking the time to read, you guys are the seriously amazing!! Xx


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